Former Southampton care home manager jailed

Kerry Haines, 43, ran the Shaftesbury Rest Home in Shaftesbury Avenue, Highfield, and her partner, Joe Witt, 39, was on the maintenance staff.

The pair used a bank card belonging to Marie Johnson to raid her Post Office account on several occasions in 2022.

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court, they were both jailed for what the judge described as their "mean and despicable" behaviour.

Emily Lanham, prosecuting, said the card was normally kept in a safe, adding that Haines had access to both the card and its PIN number.

Haines and Witt, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to defraud. They denied the offence but were convicted at a trial in August.

Kerry Haines and Joe Witt have been jailed at Southampton Crown Court following a trial in August (Image: Newsquest)

Holly Fagan, mitigating for Witt, said the fraud was committed over a five-week period but involved only one victim and was unsophisticated.

She described £7,000 as a considerable sum but added: "There was no evidence at the trial of any personal impact. The resident did not know anything of what was going on.

"Mr Witt was a man of good character prior to this. His offending was motivated by his desperation to pay off his debts."

Oliver Hirsch, mitigating for Haines, said his client was also of previous good character.

He added: "She worked in care homes for many years and by all accounts was very good at her job. She had a difficult upbringing and was in an abusive relationship before meeting Mr Witt.

"She will never work in a care home again. This much is almost inevitable, if not completely inevitable.

"Since her conviction she has been having suicidal thoughts almost every day. She has ruined her life. The reputation she had built up has been shattered. Justice can be done without imposing a custodial sentence."

But Judge Peter Henry told her: "You took over as manager of a care home full of vulnerable people who looked to you to safeguard their interests.

"What you did was mean and despicable, preying on someone who was in a very vulnerable position. Her card was used to take £7,200 from her Post Office account, into which her sole income - her pension - was being paid."

Witt and Haines, now of Pinkhams Twist in Whitchurch, Bristol, were jailed for 16 months and 20 months respectively.

Haines was also jailed for ten months for forging a reference to secure another post after losing her job. The two terms will run concurrently.